Landing in Australia on Monday afternoon local time, Herzog and his wife, First Lady Michal Herzog, visited the site of the attack to remember the victims and meet members of their families.
Having laid a wreath of white flowers on behalf of the State of Israel, the president stood in the Sydney rain to deliver a speech honouring those who lost their lives, pledging: “The bonds between good people of all faiths and all nations will continue to hold strong in the face of terror, violence and hatred. We shall overcome this evil together.”
"These vile terrorists specifically and deliberately targeted our dear sisters and brothers, Australian Jews,” he went on.
"Yet, this was also an attack on all Australians. They attacked the values that our democracies treasure.
"This is how terror operates all around the world, and, sadly, Israel has faced this deadly threat for many decades.”
Activists hold up placards during a protest rally against a four-day state visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, in Melbourne on February 9, 2026 (Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images
Herzog also addressed the issue of rising antisemitism in Australia, which has seen several high-profile attacks against the Jewish community in recent year, including a spate of arson attack linked by Australian intelligence to Iran.
"Antisemitism here in Australia is not a Jewish problem — it is an Australian problem and a global problem,” he added.
"Over the generations, one thing has become clear: hatred that starts with the Jews, never ends with the Jews.
"This is why the current rise in antisemitism around the world is a global emergency – and we must all act to fight against it.”
But he hailed the “positive steps already taken by the Australian government to tackle antisemitism”.
These include proposed new hate speech laws in the state of Queensland, which would ban the slogan “from the river to the sea” which many in the Jewish community perceive as a call for the destruction of the Jewish state.
And, in 2023, the state of Victoria made it illegal to perform a Nazi salute – a change which saw far-right influencer Jacob Hersant become the first to be jailed under the revised law last week.
However, Herzog’s visit was marred by mass anti-Israel protests in major Australian cities, some of which turned violent.
Members of NSW Police and Pro Palestine activists clash outside Town Hall on February 09, 2026 in Sydney, Australia (Getty Images)Getty Images
At least 15 activists have reportedly been arrested after allegedly brawling with police, as others called on the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to order Herzog’s arrest and extradition to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over Israel’s conduct during the Gaza War.
The ICC has not issued a warrant for Herzog’s arrest nor brought any charges against him.
Meanwhile, last week, Australian police charged a 19-year-old man with making death threats "toward a foreign head of state and internationally protected person".
While police did not name Herzog, he was widely reported to be the target in Australian media. If convicted, the suspect faces a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars.
